Cooling-tower.



B. H. COFFEY.

COOUNG TOWER.

APPLICATION man JUNE 8.1914.

Patented Oct. 26,1915.

7/76 was BARTON COFFEY, OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY, ASSIG-NOR, BY MESNEASSIGNMENTS, TO THE COOLING TOWER 00., INC., OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A.CORPORATION OF NEW YORK. I

COOLING-TOWER.

Patented Oct. 26, 1915.,

Application filed June 8, 1914. terial No. 843,706.

T all whom it may concern:

, Be it known that I, BARTON H. COFFEY,

' citizen of the United States, and resident of Elizabeth, in the countyof Union and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Cooling-Towers, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to improvements in the organization and combinationof parts in an atmospheric cooling tower whereby important gains instructural strength are obtained without increase of Weight, and otheradvantages. I attain these objects by the arrangements of partsillustrated on the accompanying drawings in which,

Figure 1 is a plan and Fig. 2 an elevation of the cooling tower as awhole, Fig. 3, a section on the line 1-1, Fig. 4, a detail of anintermediate vertical lattice girder post, and Fig. 5 a detail of acorner post both shown in side elevation. Figs. 6 and 7 are detailsshowing methods of fastening the louvers to the respective posts 1 and2.

Similar figures refer to similar parts in all views.

As a cooling tower is often erected on the roof of a building possessinga small margin of surplus strength it is important in addition toreducing costs, that the structure should be as light as consistent withthe dead load and wind stresses imposed upon it,'and it must also beconsistent with the building code in force at the site. In the majorityof building codes of our first-class cities, columns are limited to aratio of least radius of gyration to unsupported length of approximately120 irrespective of imposed load. This requirement necessitates anextremely heavy steel section often far in excess of load demands unlessthe unsupported length of the column is small. Local stifi'- ness mustbe Provided to resist severe wind pressures to which cooling towers areespecially subjected. A firm support must be given the spray louvers 15to resist wind stresses and ice loads in cold weather. The steel workmust be fully exposed for painting and inspection in order tosuccessfully combat corrosion to which cooling towers are peculiarlyliable.- All of these requirements are accomplished by my improvedconstruction without employing special members for the purpose.

In general the tower skeleton is of steel sections comprising fourcorner posts 1, Figs. 1, 2 and 5 joined horizontally at various levelsby the members 3, the bracing bemg completed by the diagonal rods 4,thus forming a skeleton tower completely braced for horizontal thrustand in'which the unsupported length of the columns as a whole is fixedby the vertical spacing of the members 3. I'call this the primarybracing. At lntcrmediate points are located the lattice posts 2 securedto the horizontal members 3, thus tying them in to the primary system ofbracing.

The corner posts 1, Fig. 5, are braced individually only againstvertical stress or weight, the member 12 transferring such weight to thepanel point 16, Figs. 2 and 5 of the primary system of bracing. Theposts 2, Fig. 4 are completely braced individually forming a lattice'girder with chords 7 and 8, horizontal members 5 and inclined members 6thus being able to receive both weight and horizontal thrust withoutbuckling in the plane of the'lpost, though weak in the other direction.In the planes of the horizontal members 3 and secured to them are thedrip decks 14, Fig. 3

possessing great stiffness and strength hori-' zontally in alldirections, acting as horizontal s ol1d girders and thus capable oftransmitting horizontal wind stresses, received from members 3 atintermediate points suchw,

as junctions with posts 2, back again ..to

members 3 at their extremities. andf'then into the panelpoints- 16 erthe primary system of bracing.

The inclined members 6 and 11 of the respective posts 2 and 1 supportthe louvers 1 5 which are formed of steel plate or tongue and grooveboards of considerable width and possessing both girder and compressivestrength, and are thoroughly secured to the inclined members as shown atFigs. 6 and 7.

It follows then if the posts 2 tend to bend in the direction of thearrows A Figs. 1 and 2, between the horizontal planes of the members 3,such movement is communicated to the louvers 15 and transmitted by,'compression to the louvers at right angles thereto at the end of thetower, which in turn transfer it by girder strength to the endposts 2 inthe direction of the .arrows B which lie in their plane of strength.lhusnone of the posts 1 or 2 can buckle between the panel points 16without distorting other posts 2 in the plane of strength, andconsequently the unsupported length of all posts can be taken at thepitch of the louvers, and light sections used both in conformity withthe code and with safety.

It is obvious from inspection of the various views that the steel frameisfully exposed for inspection and painting.

Having now described my improvement I claim:

1. In a cooling tower, side posts in the form of vertical latticedgirders provided with inclined panel supporting members, in

structural combination with a louver system consisting of horizontalinclined plane members possessing considerable tensile compression andgirder strength, and rigid fastenings connecting the inclined memberswith the louver system, thereby making the combination an integralwhole; substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. In a cooling tower a completely braced frame or skeleton, verticallatticed girders. and a louver system consisting of plane memberspossessing considerable tensile compression and girder strength rigidlyjoining the girders withthe frame at and between panel points; whereby astructure is created braced both locally and as a whole substantially asand for the purpose described.

Signed at 50 Broad St. New York city in the county of New York and Stateof New York this sixth day of June A. D. 1914.

BARTON H. COFFEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

